After the horror defeat at Old Trafford and the shock of reading of a boardroom split over his methods, the Liverpool boss needed a confidence-boosting victory and it came with an excellent first-half display that saw Dirk Kuyt, Peter Crouch and Luis Garcia put Liverpool into a seemingly unassailable lead.• Rafa praises Reds response
But this side hauled back to respectability by Martin O'Neill are made of stronger stuff than the shambolic one seen last term under David O'Leary.
O'Neill's half-time substitutions and a quick goal from Gabriel Agbonlahor saw belief and confidence return to the Villa ranks and they gave Liverpool a very uncomfortable second period.
But in the end they could not avoid their first defeat of the season, which allowed Liverpool to erase from their collective memory a week of soul-searching and blame.
After a week of behind the scenes turmoil following the disastrous defeat at Manchester United, Benitez changed his side for the 99th time in succession but came up with about the strongest possible, barring the calf injury to Craig Bellamy.
Benitez's demeanour after an un-named director sounded off about the Spanish manager's style, and with rumours still of Steven Gerrard's concerns about his role in the side, will be improved with a victory over previously-unbeaten Villa.
Kuyt had shaken off a calf injury, which meant Robbie Fowler was on the bench. For Villa, Gavin McCann was still out injured while Thomas Sorensen returned after a shoulder problem. Teenager Isaiah Osbourne made only his second league appearance in midfield.
The Kop left no one in any doubt about their support for Benitez, greeting his appearance on the line with a barrage of support that spread right around the ground, the coach responding with a wave.
His team, too, needed to be as supportive as the fans, but they were initially confronted with a fiercely competitive Villa, who pressed deep into the Liverpool half and looked as organised as you would expect from an O'Neill team.
Gerrard, interestingly, was swift to move in from the right, and Liverpool were as sharp this week as they were lethargic at Old Trafford.
Liverpool played quick mobile football with John Arne Riise overlapping on the left more than he has done for weeks. One cross touched down by Crouch, was scooped off Kuyt's toes by Sorensen.
From Gerrard's corner, Crouch headed strongly down, and up over the bar from eight yards.
Villa's defence was surviving the flow towards them, until Olof Mellberg's pointless tug on Mohamed Sissoko's shirt 40 yards out which cost him a booking on 30 minutes.
Villa were static where previously they had been quick to cover and they were over-run.
From the free-kick the ball was worked back to Jamie Carragher, who launched a high ball into the box for Crouch to nod down for Kuyt to take on his chest before cracking a fine angled drive from 18 yards into the far bottom corner.
Crouch, twice more, saw half chances go begging as Liverpool went for their second. But the big striker made up for those misses with a fine goal on 38 minutes.
Steve Finnan's low cross came in from the right and Crouch met the ball 12 yards out and saw a hooked effort bounce away from Sorensen's dive to his left.
On 43 minutes it was three with a stunning team goal. Gerrard surged from midfield, found Crouch, who shifted the ball into Luis Garcia's path for the little Spaniard to coolly lift beyond Sorensen.
O'Neill responded to indifference from his strikers Milan Baros and Juan Pablo Angel, by replacing both at the break. On came Chris Sutton and Didier Agathe, with Agbonlahor moving to a central attacking role.
They were smart substitutions because it helped shut down the avenue Riise had been using, and gave Sami Hyypia something to think about with Sutton around.
And Villa got on the scoresheet on 56 minutes when Sutton's pass set up Agbonlahor to beat Jose Reina from 10 yards.
Kuyt, Alonso, Riise and Hyypia all had chances, but by now there was a nagging doubt that things could go wrong for Liverpool.
They worsened when Luis Garcia was put in by Gerrard, and managed to flick his shot wide of the far post.
Villa sensed a miracle recovery and almost scored again on 71 minutes when Stiliyan Petrov's corner was met by Sutton with a near post header, but Reina produced a stunning save to his right.
Steven Davies came on for Osbourne on 74 minutes, and within seconds Liverpool responded by withdrawing Crouch and sending on Jermaine Pennant. Then Bolo Zenden came on for Luis Garcia, Gerrard pushed into a support striker role.
Benitez was planning now to send on Fowler, but his choice of withdrawals was probably changed when Gerrard stormed down the left and fired in a cross before crashing into the barriers in front of the Kop. He was on his feet after treatment, but taken off to allow Fowler on.
There was still time for more Villa pressure, and it was a relief for Anfield's hordes when referee Steve Bennett finally blew the whistle.
Rafa praises Reds response
Rafael Benitez saluted Liverpool after they bounced back from a disastrous
defeat at Manchester United to end Aston Villa's unbeaten run.
The Liverpool chief has come in for some criticism from within his own
boardroom, but said: 'After what happened at Old Trafford we had to show people
we have good players here.
'The first half was as good as anything we have produced this season, apart
maybe for the first 30 minutes against Galatasaray.
'We started with a high tempo and maintained it. And the players were able to
give the fans what they wanted.
'The players were able to enjoy their skills and they came in at half-time
knowing they had played well.
'The second half was a little more difficult, Villa came back at us, but we
were able to control the situation and make sure we took the points.
'Basically the players enjoy being able to show people what they can do.'
He added: 'We showed we have quality and if we can play consistently like we
played in this game then I believe we will soon be much higher in the table.
'This win will give us more confidence going into the Champions League game
against Bordeaux on Tuesday. The lads knew they were reaching the right
levels.'
Liverpool, though, have doubts about the fitness of Mohamed Sissoko and Steven
Gerrard, who both picked up ankle injuries in the second half.
Villa boss Martin O'Neill accepted his side were outplayed in the first half,
but hailed their brave comeback after the break.
He said: 'We were a bit in awe of the situation, Liverpool played very well
in the first half, but we contributed to that. We didn't get close enough to
them and they punished them like a very good side will do.
'I'm not into damage limitation, I want to get something from the game. If we
concede while trying to get something back, so be it.
'We showed spirit and determination in the second half and that has
epitomised the side for much of the season.
'We are aspiring to where Liverpool are, you want to be at the very top and
we will keep working hard and try to do better. It will take a bit of time, but
after 10 games I have been very pleased with the team.
'A willingness to fight back when the cause was all but lost. That is what we
are trying to get to.
'It was probably a reality check for us and the fans. If we had gone on like
we did in the first half I would have been very disappointed, but we now see it
is not all about determination and character. It's about quality.'
Liverpool 3 - 1 Aston Villa
